Method and apparatus for wrapping cord around a reel
First Claim
1. A kit for providing a reconfigurable apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel, the kit comprising:
- a housing;
a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing with the reel operatively assembled to the housing; and
a spring system through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis,the spring system having a configuration that is changeable by a user, thereby permitting a user to selectively vary at least one of a) the nature and b) the magnitude of the rotational force exerted on the reel,wherein the spring system comprises first and second spring modules that can be interchangeably mounted on the housing in operative relationship with the reel,the first and second spring modules having different spring force characteristics,the first and second spring modules each separable as a unit from the housing and reel and mountable to the housing, one in place of the other, with the reel remaining operatively assembled to the housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel. The apparatus has a housing and a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing. The apparatus further includes a spring system through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel, that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis, to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis. The spring system permits a user to selectively vary at least one of a) the nature and b) the magnitude of the rotational force exerted on the reel.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A kit for providing a reconfigurable apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel, the kit comprising:
-
a housing; a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing with the reel operatively assembled to the housing; and a spring system through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis, the spring system having a configuration that is changeable by a user, thereby permitting a user to selectively vary at least one of a) the nature and b) the magnitude of the rotational force exerted on the reel, wherein the spring system comprises first and second spring modules that can be interchangeably mounted on the housing in operative relationship with the reel, the first and second spring modules having different spring force characteristics, the first and second spring modules each separable as a unit from the housing and reel and mountable to the housing, one in place of the other, with the reel remaining operatively assembled to the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel, the apparatus comprising:
-
a housing; a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing; and a spring system through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis, the spring system having a configuration that is changeable by a user, thereby permitting a user to selectively vary at least one of a) the nature and b) the magnitude of the rotational force exerted on the reel, wherein the spring system is in the form of a self-contained module that is separable as a unit from the reel and comprises a spring support assembly that is mounted on the housing in operative relationship with the reel, the spring support assembly accommodating a plurality of springs that can be selectively operatively engaged to cause the spring system to exert a desired rotational force upon the reel, wherein the springs in the plurality of springs are coiled springs, the spring support assembly comprising X number receptacles, each for one of the plurality of coiled springs, wherein the spring system further comprises a drive assembly that causes a rotational force developed by one or more coiled springs in the receptacles to be exerted on the reel, wherein the spring support assembly comprises X number generally annular walls disposed around the first axis, each defining a receptacle to receive a coiled spring, and the drive assembly comprises a drive element that moves around the first axis and is keyed to the reel to transmit a rotational force to the reel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel, the apparatus comprising:
-
a housing; a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing; and a spring system through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis, the spring system comprising a first self-contained module comprising a case with an opening and a drive element movable around a second axis relative to the case, the case configured to accept at least first and second springs that are each directly connected to the drive element and through which a rotational force can cooperatively be exerted on the drive element to urge the drive element in movement around the second axis relative to the case, wherein the first self-contained module can be moved relative to and seperable as a unit from the housing to make a keyed connection through the case opening between the drive element and reel without requiring changing of a configuration of the reel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A kit for providing a reconfigurable apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel, the apparatus comprising:
-
a housing; a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing; and a spring system comprising a self-contained module that is separable as a unit from the reel and through which a rotational force is exerted on the reel tending to rotate the reel around the first axis to thereby cause a flexible cord associated with the reel that is drawn away from the housing by turning of the reel in one direction around the first axis to be wrapped around the reel by turning of the reel oppositely to the one direction around the first axis, the spring system having a configuration that is changeable by a user, thereby permitting a user to selectively vary at least one of a) the nature and b) the magnitude of the rotational force exerted on the reel, wherein the spring system comprises a spring support assembly that is mounted on the housing in operative relationship with the reel, the spring system further comprising a plurality of springs, the spring support assembly accommodating the plurality of springs and configured to allow selective operative engagement of different numbers of the plurality of springs to cause the spring system to exert different desired rotational forces upon the reel.
-
Specification